Maharashtra records over 15,000 Covid cases for third day in row

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on Congress during his address on the women’s reservation bill, calling its politics “parasite-like”. He said the party survives by riding on regional allies while blocking reforms that empower women. Modi accused Congress of missing a historic opportunity and choosing politics over women’s rights. He also said the Opposition’s actions had stalled the progress of “Nari Shakti” and hurt the aspirations of millions. Calling the bill a step towards empowering half the population, the Prime Minister said the government’s resolve remains firm and efforts to secure women’s rights will continue despite the setback.

Students at Tamil Nadu National Law University protested after Vice-Chancellor V. Nagaraj allegedly said that women wearing shorts “invite sexual harassment.”

The opposition has blocked a bill in Parliament, describing the move as a victory for democracy and the federal structure. The defeated legislation linked women's reservation to a new delimitation exercise based on the 2011 census. The opposition argued the bill was a move to alter parliamentary proportions, potentially reducing the political weight of Southern states and bypassing a caste census. Instead of the proposed changes, the opposition demanded the immediate implementation of the 2023 women's reservation legislation on the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats. Furthermore, there is a demand for an Other Backward Classes quota within the women's reservation framework. The opposition accused the government of using women's rights as a shield to push through a delimitation agenda that would alter electoral dynamics, stating they will fight for immediate representation without compromising the federal balance.

The latest episode of India Today Global covers the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a ten-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.